Originally Posted by Siempre Viajando

Thanks for your responses. On tkelvin69's suggestion I'll take a look further north. And certainly, if we decide to proceed in Brazil, we will do our due diligence and lawyer up.

In response to IstKong, we visited Salvador de Bahia and the Costa do Sauipe many years ago (2004). I have never been to Rio so I can't comment on relative security risks. Salvador at that time was a bit edgy but we felt comfortable walking the historic center of the city day and night, taking the normal precautions. Things may have changed since then, for better or for worse.